Danish biotech Unibio has entered into an agreement with Malaysia’s Petronas Chemicals to conduct trials for its new protein product Uniprotein for the Southeast Asian market.

Depending on the outcome of the trials, both companies may consider performing a joint feasibility study to assess any potential future collaboration.

Unibio and the Technical University of Denmark have developed bacterial fermentation technology known as U-Loop that converts natural gas (methane) into a highly concentrated protein product – Uniprotein. The protein can be used as a direct supplement in animal feed, substituting high-quality fishmeal and soybean meal, which are becoming increasingly scarce resources.

The Odense-based company said the technology addresses the world’s growing need for animal protein so that cropland can be used to produce food for humans instead of feed for animals.  Tests on Uniprotein as feed for salmon, calves, pigs, chickens, mink and blue fox have achieved positive results both in terms of acceptance and growth rates, Unibio said.

Unibio said its ambition is to become the world’s market leader for protein production based on methanotrophic bacteria, partly by its own production and partly by licensing its technology to companies wishing to set up large-scale Uniprotein plants using the surplus gas from oil production.